Newark native Kim Hawthorne's journey as an actress has taken her across the world to light up the stage. Hawthorne journeyed home earlier this month to shine a light on those who back the mission of supporting the arts in Newark, a force that positively changes cities and changes lives.

"I could not be more excited to be illuminating the arts in my hometown," said Hawthrone, a graduate of Newark's Arts High School and one of the stars on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) television show Greenleaf, who emceed Newark Arts' annual fundraiser on April 11. "It was a great night in Newark as we honored [recently retired PSEG chief diversity officer] Ellen Lambert, and highlighted the work of Newark artists and raised money towards a great cause."

The "Flashes of Genius" fundraiser, held inside the recently refurbished Rutgers-Newark building at 15 Washington Street in Newark's revitalizing downtown, lauded Lambert for her longtime efforts to help artists realize their full potential.

The works of the types of artists that persistent patrons such as Lambert have helped were showcased. Among those who showed off their work included lighting artist Sunil Garg, visual and performance artist Jerry Gant, artist and curator Adrienne Wheeler, sculptor Robert Lach, artist Kween Moore, photographer Tamara Fleming, and interior designer Lynette Lashawn of Off The Hanger Boutique. The Nai Ni Chen Dance Company performed around and amidst Gang's light sculptures to striking effect.

"What an honor it was to be recognized as a champion for diversity both in the corporate sector and in the arts. I am quite pleased to have been a part of this exciting event to raise much needed dollars to support the arts community in Newark," said Lambert, whose work for PSEG included supporting the Newark Museum, the Newark-based New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and Newark Arts.

"We’re proud to recognize Ellen on her many years of leadership at PSEG and her commitment to diversity, philanthropy and the arts,” Di Risio said, both praising Lambert and noting PSEG's longtime role in Newark as a corporate anchor and community partner.

Funds raised at the "Flashes of Genius" event will fuel a range of roles that Newark Arts plays as one of the engines of Newark's ongoing civic revival.

The funds will sustain the non-profit organization's efforts to support community-driven initiatives, including the well-known for the Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival, an annual fall tour of public and private art spaces, studios and galleries across the city.

Newark Arts has awarded over $500,000 in grants to neighborhood individuals and local organizations through the ArtStart program, helping to ensure that the arts in Newark continues to be a community-based force coming from the ground up.

Newark Arts is also powering a community cultural plan for the City of Newark, Newark Creates, an eighteen-month planning process which will support the city's civic, social, and economic growth. The organization is also the incubator of the Newark Arts Education Roundtable, a strategic alliance of more than 80 arts education stakeholders, who ensure that Newark early learners and students have equitable access to high quality, sequential arts education opportunities.

When asked about the "Flashes of Genius" event, the face of Newark Arts Executive Director Jeremy Johnson lit up.

“There is no more deserving honoree than Ellen Lambert," Johnson said. "Her career is a testament to the power of diversity, and Newark Arts has always been at the forefront of diversity in the arts."

NEWARK, NJ - Juan Garcia, 17, shouted orders to a gym full of freshman boys at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School. He wanted the younger students to yell back phrases like, “The Class of ‘22 will be different.”

“You have to be here for each other, am I clear?” Garcia said through a microphone. The boys yelled back in unison, “Yes, Mr. Garcia.”

“I can’t hear you,” Garcia shouted back before ...

NEWARK, NJ - Juan Garcia, 17, shouted orders to a gym full of freshman boys at St. Benedict’s ...

Newark, NJ - Thirty-six passengers on a bus returning from an annual mayor’s picnic Saturday were taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries after an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike, officials said.

Mayor Ras Baraka's fourth annual family reunion picnic event was held at Black Bear Lake Country Club in Millstone. Around 5:30 p.m., a bus leaving the event with 42 people was ...

NEWARK, NJ - Carmelo Garcia has been replaced as Newark’s acting director of economic and housing development following a last-minute vote on Wednesday from the city council.

John Palmieri was appointed as the new director. Palmieri, of Hoboken, will also remain the city’s deputy mayor of economic growth, transportation and infrastructure, a city spokesman said. He was appointed to that ...

NEWARK, NJ - Daniel Castro put his head on the water bottle he clutched between his shackled hands as he sat on an airplane bound for detention centers, first in Nebraska then Louisiana. He resigned himself to the sobering fact he was being deported back to Nicaragua.

What worried him more than his return to the place he fled as a young teenager to escape poverty and political fighting, was ...

NEWARK, NJ - Daniel Castro put his head on the water bottle he clutched between his shackled hands ...

NEWARK, NJ - The city hall chambers today filled with shouts of disapproval from residents before a huge tax break for large corporations like Amazon was approved.

City council gave final approval for $1 billion in payroll tax breaks to any business that intends to create at least 30,00 new full-time jobs and make a capital investment of at least $3 billion in Newark. The ordinance calls these ...

NEWARK, NJ - The city hall chambers today filled with shouts of disapproval from residents before a ...

NEWARK, NJ - Essex County will no longer hold money in Wells Fargo accounts after clergy from Newark raised concerns about the bank’s aggressive foreclosure practices.

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. gave a directive to transfer accounts to other banks in June, and announced today that all accounts would be withdrawn from Wells Fargo. The county had about $3.8 million in Wells ...

NEWARK, NJ - Essex County will no longer hold money in Wells Fargo accounts after clergy from ...

NEWARK, NJ - Shaquille O'Neal’s second residential tower passed another milestone yesterday when the city planning board approved site plans for the project.

The 33-story building with 370 studio, one and two-bedroom units will be located steps away from Newark Penn Station at 769-781 McCarter Highway. About 75 affordable units will be sought for the project, said an attorney for the ...

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NEW JERSEY CLEAN COMMUNITIES COUNCIL IS PLEASED WITH ONGOING LITTER ABATEMENT EFFORTS

August 6, 2018

The New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC) today issued the findings of a comprehensive report that shows litter along streets and highways in the state has been reduced by 53 percent over the past 13 years.

“Litter is unsightly and can impact quality of life. Litter cleanup is a crucial part of protecting our natural resources,” said Assistant Commissioner Mark Pedersen of the New ...

The New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC) today issued the findings of a comprehensive ...